Y6/5 walking home from school alone

[Crazycakelady17]

I live in a village in a our little culdesac of 8 houses I have a really good friend who’s really supported me through some trauma over the last few years we have our younger children of similar ages her ds1 is 11 just started high school in September he’s autistic but high functioning she has a 9 yo dd y5 and I have a y6 11yo dd she’s Sept born for this post, in September we decided we would let our girls walk home she is home 1/5 days so they are home till dad gets home around 5.30 I’m a sham disability so no need for childcare but I have found I am taking more and more care of the daughter over the holidays October half term I provided 3 full days with less than 4 hours notice
The problem Ihave is she doesn’t like the girls walking to school by themselves she says she can do it on earlys and days off I have to do it on the other days I just don’ want to do it anymore I have done school drop offs for over 17 years how do I word it if it matters she’s a police officer the leaving them alone for hours and I mean hours has caused drama in our friendship already

You don't 'have' to do anything. Your daughter walks home from school; her daughter can accompany yours, or not, whatever. You are under no obligation to offer after-school care or mind her in the holidays. Just say no. You presumably gave up your own income to care for your children. Your neighbour has a well-paid job; she doesn't get to keep that job by sponging off you for free childcare.

Time to be assertive. Tell her you feel your daughter is old/responsible enough now to walk to AND from school without an adult. Tell her that from 1st December (or whatever date) you are no longer going to do it.

She can make alternative arrangements if she persists in not letting her child walk.

Walking to and from school was really important to my eldest when he was yr 5/6. Just focus on that really - your dd want and is able to do it, what her dd does isn't your responsibility.

Also, I would tell her now that you can't do any more childcare now - she is taking the piss!

I found this really difficult to make sense of, sorry, OP.

Are you saying she is leaving her 9 and 11 YO children (one of whom has autism) alone at home until 5.30?

And secondly, would you be happy with your child walking alone without her children? Because although she obviously can’t make you walk them, you can’t make her children walk with yours.

You need to do you and your daughter - you need to I think stop being a people pleaser here and say you would like your daughter to take responsibility and walk herself